An article examined the experiences of voluntary sector organizations involved in public sector commissioning. The research suggested that the public sector was limiting the voluntary sector's engagement in service design and performance monitoring.
Source: Susanne Martikke and Claire Moxham, 'Public sector commissioning: experiences of voluntary organizations delivering health and social services', International Journal of Public Administration, Volume 33 Issue 14
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Dec
An article examined the implications of personal budgets for the voluntary and community sector, drawing attention to changes in the sector's roles, responsibilities, and relationships. An understanding of the precise nature and extent of the implications of personalization for the voluntary and community sector was limited among both policy-makers and practitioners.
Source: Jenny Harlock, 'Personalisation: emerging implications for the voluntary and community sector', Voluntary Sector Review, Volume 1 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Dec
An article examined the experiences of 22 voluntary sector organizations that had been given funding in order to develop their organizational capacity, and to use this improved capacity to promote their independence from government.
Source: Matthew Smerdon and Nicholas Deakin, 'Independence in principle and practice: relationships between the state and voluntary action', Voluntary Sector Review, Volume 1 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Dec
A renewed 'Compact' agreement (governing relations between the government and civil society organizations in England) was published.
Source: The Compact, Office for Civil Society/Cabinet Office and Compact Voice
Links: Agreement | Cabinet Office press release | Compact Voice press release | NAVCA press release | NCVO press release
Date: 2010-Dec
The government began consultation on ways to create a 'level playing field' for charities, voluntary groups, and social enterprises that wanted to bid for public service contracts. It focused on opportunities to introduce 'payment by results' contracts under which funding was linked to the delivery of outcomes; setting proportions of specific services that should be delivered by non-statutory agencies; and ways to reduce the regulatory burden on third sector organizations delivering public services.
Source: Modernising Commissioning: Increasing the role of charities, social enterprises, mutuals and cooperatives in public service delivery, Cabinet Office
Links: Consultation document
Date: 2010-Dec
A report for the equal rights watchdog reviewed a pilot project that explored how voluntary organizations that worked in the equalities field were using human rights concepts, language, and tools.
Source: Sanchita Hosali and Amanda Ariss, Human Rights and Equality in the Voluntary Sector, Equality and Human Rights Commission
Links: Report | BIHR press release
Date: 2010-Dec
A think-tank report examined the prospects for the 'Big Society' in the context of the government's 2010 spending review. The success of the project depended on the government revising its policies on public spending cuts to guarantee sufficient support for local government, community groups, and third sector organizations. The scale and speed of the cuts left civil society with an impossible job to do: the result would be a poorer, more hard-pressed society, not a bigger one.
Source: Anna Coote, Cutting It: The 'Big Society' and the new austerity, New Economics Foundation
Links: Report | NEF press release | Charity Times report
Date: 2010-Nov
A report examined the potential role of the third sector in improving the way in which Scotland's health and care needs were met.
Source: The Third Sector: A Key Role in Delivering a Healthier Scotland, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations
Date: 2010-Nov
An article examined the evidence for the policy of promoting third sector organizations as providers of National Health Service-funded health and social care. The literature did not support the policy of a larger role for the third sector in healthcare, let alone a switch to a market-based system.
Source: Elke Heins et al., 'A review of the evidence of third sector performance and its relevance for a universal comprehensive health system', Social Policy and Society, Volume 9 Issue 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Oct
The coalition government published its strategy for supporting charities, voluntary groups, and social enterprises. It also began consultation on how best to improve the infrastructure that provided advice, training, and funding to front-line groups.
Source: Building a Stronger Civil Society: A strategy for voluntary and community groups, charities and social enterprises, Cabinet Office | Supporting a Stronger Civil Society: An Office for Civil Society consultation on improving support for frontline civil society organisations, Cabinet Office
Links: Strategy | Consultation document | NCVO press release | Volunteering England press release | Civil Society report | Charity Times report
Date: 2010-Oct
An article examined whether the 'normative legitimacy' of third sector organizations was being compromised by the requirements placed on them by external funding agencies. It said that third sector organizations were able to protect their normative legitimacy through a range of strategies, the most important of which was a mixed resource base – a strategy that also enabled third sector organizations to engage in 'evolutionary innovation'.
Source: Ann Nevile, 'Drifting or holding firm? Public funding and the values of third sector organisations', Policy & Politics, Volume 38 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Oct
A think-tank report said that 'bureaucracy' needed to be slashed, and commissioning processes improved dramatically, in order to allow the expansion of the provider pool for public services – particularly among charities and community groups.
Source: Asheem Singh, The Civil Effect: Bringing efficiency, innovation and community capability to our framework of public services commissioning, ResPublica
Links: Report | Charity Times report
Date: 2010-Oct
Two discussion papers examined the new coalition government's commitment to the 'Big Society' and 'localism', and what it might mean for voluntary and community sector organizations working with offenders.
Source: Big Society: Constraints and Potentials, Clinks | Localising Justice: How can we increase local VCS involvement in service design and delivery?, Clinks
Links: Discussion paper (1) | Discussion paper (2)
Date: 2010-Sep
A report said that there were significant efficiency and performance improvements for local authorities when they applied 'Compact' commitments in their relationships with voluntary organizations. (The 'Compact' sets out ways in which the public sector and the third sector should work with each other.)
Source: Grant Thornton and Richard Jenkins, Social and Economic Benefits of Compact Working, Commission for the Compact
Links: Report | Commission press release
Date: 2010-Sep
A report examined the implications of the personalization agenda in public services for third sector organizations, focusing on health and social care.
Source: Chris Dayson, Understanding Personalisation: Implications for third sector infrastructure and their work with organisations on the frontline, Centre for Regional, Economic and Social Research/Sheffield Hallam University
Date: 2010-Aug
A paper examined the 'unstable and changing' formulations of the third sector and civil society.
Source: Pete Alcock and Jeremy Kendall, Constituting the Third Sector: Processes of decontestation and contention under the UK Labour governments in England, Working Paper 42, Third Sector Research Centre
Date: 2010-Aug
A report said that millions of pounds of savings could be made if voluntary sector organizations were given more contracts for the care and support of disabled people.
Source: Gain Without Pain: How the voluntary sector can help deliver the social care agenda for people with disabilities, Voluntary Organisations Disability Group
Links: Report | VODG press release | IPC press release | Guardian report
Date: 2010-Aug
A paper examined the role, function, impact, and experience of small community action groups or organizations – including those working at a local level or in communities of interest, such as women's groups or refugee and migrant groups. It considered why people became active within the community and the factors that both helped and hindered community-based action.
Source: Jenny Phillimore and Angus McCabe with Andri Soteri-Proctor and Rebecca Taylor, Understanding the Distinctiveness of Small Scale, Third Sector Activity: The role of local knowledge and networks in shaping below the radar actions, Working Paper 33, Third Sector Research Centre
Links: Paper | Brief | Abstract
Date: 2010-Jul
A report examined the role that the voluntary and community sector played in fostering and promoting strong community cohesion. It also highlighted the role of local government in supporting this through effective partnership, engagement, and funding arrangements.
Source: Sarah Hewes and Alessandra Buonfino with Rushanara Ali and Geoff Mulgan, Cohesive Communities: The benefits of effective partnership working between local government and the voluntary and community sector, Improvement and Development Agency
Links: Report
Date: 2010-Jul
A paper examined research evidence and policy development on the third sector and public service delivery over the previous 5-10 years. The third sector s experience of the new service delivery landscape had been 'somewhat mixed and varied'.
Source: Rob Macmillan, The Third Sector Delivering Public Services: An evidence review, Working Paper 20, Third Sector Research Centre
Date: 2010-Jul
A think-tank report examined what the new government's concept of the 'Big Society' meant for struggling communities in need of regeneration. It drew on the experiences of two estates that had engaged in a renewal programme involving residents, the third sector, and business. It said that supermarkets had a role to play in helping deprived communities to regenerate by reducing stigma, boosting community morale, and bringing low-cost quality produce into the area.
Source: Max Wind-Cowie, Civic Streets: The big society in action, Demos
Links: Report | Summary | NEF press release | Guardian report | New Start report
Date: 2010-Jun
Four linked papers examined the role of voluntary and community organizations in civic life, democracy, and governance in Northern Ireland.
Source: The Role of the Third Sector in Civic Life, Democracy and Governance, Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action | International Comparisons of the Role of the Third Sector, Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action | The Third Sector as a Service Provider, Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action | Role of the Third Sector in Building a More Tolerant Society, Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action
Links: Paper (1) | Paper (2) | Paper (3) | Paper (4) | NICVA press release
Date: 2010-Jun
A report examined the role of the third sector in work with offenders. Although the involvement of the third sector in the criminal justice system was promoted in national policy, considerable gaps had been identified. These included the quality and availability of regional commissioning, implementation strategies, and the long-term plans for the respecification of the criminal justice system. The increasing emphasis on competitive policy might put a strain on future inter-sector partnerships.
Source: Rosie Meek, Dina Gojkovic and Alice Mills, The Role of the Third Sector in Work with Offenders: The perceptions of criminal justice and third sector stakeholders, Working Paper 34, Third Sector Research Centre
Date: 2010-May
A report said that charities and social enterprises had an important role to play in helping to build a 'Big Society'. But two problems needed to be overcome: an inability by third sector organizations to provide evidence of their impact; and the need to identify proven, cost-effective approaches and organizations that could be scaled up to meet the challenges involved.
Source: Martin Brookes, Tris Lumley and Esther Paterson, Scaling up for the Big Society, New Philanthropy Capital
Links: Summary | Guardian report
Date: 2010-May
A paper examined the institutional and policy changes introduced by the Labour governments 1997-2010 in relation to the third sector. It considered the extent to which this constituted a new and distinctive policy regime, characterized by the notions of partnership and mainstreaming, and speculated on the future prospects for this approach under changing economic and political circumstances.
Source: Pete Alcock, Partnership and Mainstreaming: Voluntary action under New Labour, Working Paper 32, Third Sector Research Centre
Date: 2010-May
An article examined recent debate on the identification of a third sector of organizational activity, and attempts to identify the sector as a focus for policy and practice. It identified a strategic unity within discourse over the previous decade, and said that this had been effective in constituting a unified third sector within policy and practice, albeit one with underlying diversity and potential longer-term instability.
Source: Pete Alcock, 'A strategic unity: defining the third sector in the UK', Voluntary Sector Review, Volume 1 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Apr
A study examined the role of faith-based organizations in homelessness provision.
Source: Sarah Johnsen with Suzanne Fitzpatrick, The Role of Faith-Based Organisations in the Provision of Services for Homeless People, Chartered Institute of Housing
Links: Summary
Date: 2010-Apr
A study examined the delivery of public services by voluntary and community organizations in Northern Ireland, and the balance of risk and reward involved for them.
Source: Leeann Kelly and Andrea Thornbury, Managing to Deliver: Public service delivery in Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action
Links: Report | NICVA press release | SEN press release
Date: 2010-Apr
A paper examined some of the dimensions, motivations, and values of organizations found in the cross-over space between business and the third sector. It highlighted the challenges and opportunities that this diversity created for future research and policy-making.
Source: Andrea Westall, Business or Third Sector? What are the dimensions and implications of researching and conceptualising the overlap between business and third sector?, Working Paper 26, Third Sector Research Centre
Date: 2010-Apr
An article examined the notion of 'hard to reach', and perceptions of the barriers and facilitators to accessing health/social care services for 'hard to reach' groups, from a voluntary and community sector perspective.
Source: Sarah Flanagan and Beverley Hancock, '"Reaching the hard to reach": lessons learned from the VCS (voluntary and community sector) – a qualitative study', BMC Health Services Research, Volume 10
Links: Article
Date: 2010-Apr
An article examined third sector organizations and groupings that aimed to increase interpersonal contacts between people of different faiths and/or ethnic groups in urban areas of England. It considered the potential role of the third sector in responding to a diverse society.
Source: Margaret Harris and Patricia Young, 'Building bridges: the third sector responding locally to diversity', Voluntary Sector Review, Volume 1 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Apr
An article examined the history of the 'Compact' (the partnership agreement between government and the voluntary and community sector in England) over the previous 10 years. It looked at how the implementation of the Compact had been slower, patchier, and less energetic than might have been expected for an initiative of 'both practical and symbolic importance'. It said that the proposed 'refreshment' was unlikely significantly to alter this situation.
Source: Meta Zimmeck, 'The Compact 10 years on: government's approach to partnership with the voluntary and community sector in England', Voluntary Sector Review, Volume 1 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Apr
A report examined the roles of civil society associations in encouraging dialogue and deliberation; and the challenges they faced in this work.
Source: Ute Kelly, Civil Society Supporting Dialogue and Deliberation, Carnegie UK Trust
Links: Report
Date: 2010-Apr
A report examined the interplay between social justice, resource scarcity, and climate change; and the role of civil society associations in addressing climate justice.
Source: Vikki Johnson, Andrew Simms, Perry Walker and Josh Ryan-Collins, Bridging the Gap Between Climate Change, Resource Scarcity and Social Justice: The future role of civil society associations, Carnegie UK Trust
Links: Report
Date: 2010-Mar
A report said that civil society organizations would have to undergo a profound shift in organizational culture in order to benefit fully from social technologies. Social media were not always being used effectively, with organizations often using them to broadcast their message rather than engage with their online community. (Social technologies are websites, services, and applications that allow users to engage in social behaviours online or on a mobile phone.)
Source: Suw Charman-Anderson, Making the Connection: Civil society and social media, Carnegie UK Trust
Links: Report
Date: 2010-Mar
A think-tank manifesto outlined six changes designed to help the government to maximize the impact of charities and philanthropy. It called for funding to help charities measure their own impact, and for the introduction of standardized frameworks. It said that the government should publish the evidence it collected on the performance of charities in a similar way to that on public services performance.
Source: Manifesto for Social Impact, New Philanthropy Capital
Links: Manifesto | NPC press release | New Start report
Date: 2010-Mar
A report said that civil society had a crucial role to play in protecting and enhancing a diversity of viewpoints in the media, following the demise of traditional media business models.
Source: Tamara Witschge, Natalie Fenton and Des Freedman, Protecting the News: Civil society and the media, Carnegie UK Trust
Links: Report | Guardian report
Date: 2010-Mar
A report set out how government and third sector organizations would work together over the following five years to tackle key environmental issues such as climate change and sustainable development.
Source: Shaping Our Future: The joint ministerial and third sector task force on climate change, the environment and sustainable development, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Links: Report | Cabinet Office press release | Green Alliance press release
Date: 2010-Mar
A think-tank report said that anecdotal and empirical evidence suggested that outcomes were improved when public services and civil society worked in partnership. However, the evidence base was thin, largely because most initiatives were small and localized and operated 'under the radar' of formal evaluations. There was much stronger evidence to suggest that the overall approach improved citizen satisfaction with services and the degree to which residents felt that they could influence decisions.
Source: Vicki Savage, Corinne Cordes, Liz Keenaghan-Clark and Carmel O'Sullivan (with others), Public Services and Civil Society Working Together: Promising ideas for effective local partnerships between state and citizen, Young Foundation
Links: Report | Young Foundation press release
Date: 2010-Mar
A report examined the role of the third sector in delivering personalized learning opportunities – either in their own right or in partnership with schools and colleges. It highlighted the important role the third sector played in driving forward innovation in this sector.
Source: Anne McGuire MP (Cabinet Office Advisor on Third Sector Innovation), The Role of Third Sector Innovation: Personalisation of Education and Learning Services, Cabinet Office
Links: Links to the report have subsequently been removed from the Cabinet Office website by the new coalition government.
Date: 2010-Mar
An article examined the 'mismatch' between the language and rhetoric used by central government departments to promote particular policy options and initiatives, and the experiences of third sector organizations engaged in such programmes. For both parties in the process the relationship/experience was uncomfortable. The diversity, size, ethos, and shape of the third sector were not fully understood by public sector agencies; and the implications of the governance and decision-making processes were not fully grasped by either party.
Source: Matthew Jackson, 'Matching rhetoric with reality: the challenge for third sector involvement in local governance', International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, Volume 30 Issue 1/2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Feb
An article examined the role of voluntary, community, and faith-based organizations in supporting and developing networks of support and influence at the local level. Their significance as centres of influence and authority suggested that their role might have been under-estimated. At the same time, local state organizations were experimenting with devolved street-based or neighbourhood-focused approaches. These twin developments raised issues of accountability and decision-making.
Source: John Diamond, 'Challenging the status quo: the role and place of third sector organisations', International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, Volume 30 Issue 1/2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Feb
An article examined the development of the third sector and its relationship with social inclusion by reference to a specific case study. The capacity of third sector organizations to meet the expectations of local residents and local agencies and professionals represented real challenges. The case study illustrated the way in which such organizations shared the characteristics of small businesses: this raised important questions over the skills and capacities of those managing such projects.
Source: Veronica Coatham and Lisa Martinali, 'The role of community-based organisations in sustaining community regeneration: an evaluation of the development and contribution of Castle Vale Community Regeneration Services (CVCRS)', International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, Volume 30 Issue 1/2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Feb
An article examined the ways in which concepts of regeneration, sustainability, and the third sector were understood and expressed in the policy priorities of the Labour government. Although small-scale third sector organizations could play an important part in the regeneration/sustainability agenda as a result of their size, values, and flexibility, it was these values that were at risk given the underlying ideological approach of the reform agenda.
Source: Amanda Smith, 'Third sector, regeneration and sustainable communities: "rolling" with the New Labour agenda', International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, Volume 30 Issue 1/2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Feb